Who needs the drama?

05 July 2018

To avoid dramas, e-tailers rely heavily on their MHE and storage systems. Good advice, therefore, is to source from a single supplier that can provide a one-stop-shop solution that is efficient, fault free and works seamlessly with all parts of the fulfilment operation.

As an order moves through a fulfilment centre, various items come into play: bins, containers and totes will be used to hold items on shelves, racking or flow lanes in live storage. Bins can also be used for internal transport between goods-in, putaway, pick zones and packaging locations. They can travel via person, conveyor, lift truck or automated device.

Sourcing bins from the same manufacturer that provides shelving, racking or live storage will ensure the smoothest operation. Nobody wants, for example, their carton live system to jam because the tote from one manufacturer doesn’t properly fit or refuses to flow smoothly down the flow lane of another. Sourcing from the same supplier will ensure bins and racking collaborate. In other words, the bins will not only move smoothly but will have also been designed to optimise the space on the shelving or racking. This is important for e-tail warehouses that are often space constrained.